Let Go
by SushiChica
Summary: In the wake of a sudden marriage, Starfire, with a little dose of sense from Donna, decides it's finally time to just give up and let go. Contains no bashing. ONESHOT.


After hearing about and finally seeing the Dick/Babs proposal thing…I just thought I would write this follow-up piece. I'm usually more of a cartoon writer…but I was inspired. So, here is my first comic-based Teen Titans fic/oneshot.

I am, personally, a Starfire/Nightwing fan, so I do not actually think Starfire _should_ let go, persay, but I believe that it's probably what she's feeling…with a little bit of help from the lovable and ever sensible Donna Troy.

As a side note, I'm not a huge fan of Babs Gordon. In fact…I've never really liked her at all. This was BEFORE I'd ever even HEARD of Teen Titans, by the way, so please do not scream at me saying "OMGZZ YOU HATE BABS JUST CUZ SHE HAS DICK AND STARFIRE DOESN'T!"

Come on.

I just don't like her character. I never have and I probably never will.

But there is no Babs bashing in this fic whatsoever, so please do not be alarmed. In fact…this is really a fic for anyone, regardless of your pairing preference.

**Please Note:** There are, indeed, lyrics at the end of this oneshot. In fact, they INSPIRED this oneshot as a whole, aside from the whole actual plot of the comics as of late. Please, if you have a problem with this, PM ME WITH YOUR CONCERN, and I will take them down. I'd appreciate if you didn't simply jump the gun and report me. If you are rational, I will be too.

**Dedication:** To the public library. For obvious reasons.

**Disclaimer:** As it was, as it is, and as it shall be. Tis the Latin Class motto, and it simply means "No, I do not own them" in this case.

* * *

He was the schoolgirl crush she'd never gotten over, and sometimes she hated him for that.

The hate was irrational, of course. What kind of argument would that make? _You loved me once, thus you are forced to love me for all eternity._ This sounded pathetic and stupid, even to her. She only wished it was true.

She couldn't deny that she'd put him through hell, at the very least, during their relationship. Marrying and, X'hal forbid, consummating said marriage had put on more than a strain; it had driven a sturdy wedge between them. A wedge that, she thought, still remained there today although not as prominently as before. But that didn't change the fact that she'd always loved him. What she had been thinking when she married the second time, she couldn't be sure. Momentary lapse of judgment was the only reason she could extract from her mind. That, and thoughts of a ravaged relationship after bailing on their wedding.

It wasn't as though she never expected him to have other women around, but the fact that he acted on them often infuriated her. And yet this was irrational infuriation; she knew that full well.

Tamaranians were not known to be rational.

He'd had other women, and she'd had other men. So what made this time so different?

Oh, right, the whole marriage thing.

It wasn't as if they were still together, so she couldn't exactly complain. He had every right to propose to Barbara; to marry her. She'd always found the ex-Batgirl to be kind, even charming, and held no grudges against her. She even tried to be _happy_ for them, but where he was concerned she felt no joy…only loss.

She'd known that the night they'd shared a little under two weeks ago had been a mere roll in the sack that meant no more than goodbye, despite how desperately she'd wished otherwise. Then _wham_, in an instant, a crisis slammed her over the head, Blüdhaven was blown to smithereens, and the Titans and Outsiders received an e-vite to the wedding of Nightwing and Oracle.

Well…the screen had read Dick and Babs, but thinking about them that way, as real people and not just pop culture hero icons, had only made it hurt that much more.

Shortly after receiving the e-vite in the main room of Titans Tower, where the Outsiders had taken up residence for the time being, she had retreated to her old room with a casual toss of her abundant auburn hair saying she had things to do.

Most of her friends knew otherwise, but they gave her the space she required.

It made her remorseful, pacing her old room which looked as though she'd never left. Photos of friends and family stared at her from the dresser beside the plush bed, and even a few outfits still hung in the closet. Silence engulfed her; made her want to scream. It was too quiet, and the recent circumstances left her feeling horribly alone.

"Knock, knock," came a soft voice from the door. Koriand'r of Tamaran spun on her heel to face the almost welcome intruder. "Can I come in?"

"Donna!" Kori stepped forward with a forced smile. "I'm sorry, I was completely absorbed with myself and didn't even notice you at the door." Donna Troy embraced her friend warmly, feeling the tanned girl bury her head into the shining black hair that fell just a few inches past her shoulders.

"…That bad?" The Amazon felt Kori's grip tighten on her back.

"You have no idea." Donna lifted her friend off her shoulder and sat her down on the bed.

"I heard from Dick himself. I won't deny that I'm happy for him if he's really decided that Babs is…the one." She shook her head in that reasonable way she always had, making her moon-shaped silver earrings sparkle. "But I knew you'd probably have some issues with it."

"He sent me an e-vite, Donna. An _e-vite_." Kori was undeniably grateful to have someone who understood to talk to, but now that she was actually speaking, the words dribbled out uncertainly. "And not even…a personal e-vite. It was one to the Titans and Outsiders as a while. You'd think he'd at the very least tell me individually, if not in person."

"I think he's afraid you'd blow his head off." The Amazon smiled awkwardly, attempting a joke, but she could tell it wasn't working.

"We've been lovers…friends…for so long. You'd think…"

"Honey…have you ever thought that maybe it's time to let go?"

"Let go?" Kori cocked an eyebrow. "You think I haven't tried that?"

"No…" Donna spoke slowly, taking care in the words she chose, "no, I don't think you have. I don't mean to imply that you should let go of him as a friend…I think that would kill the both of you. All I'm trying to say is that perhaps you should give up the fantasy that someday you'll be together and happy for the rest of your lives."

"I don't think that," Kori snapped, standing up and crossing her arms defiantly, "and I never have." But inside, she knew that this wasn't true. It was what she wanted more than anything else in the world. She wished against all things she knew to be true that happily ever after really did exist.

"Just think about what I said. That's all I ask of you." Donna pressed her lips together. "I'm only looking out for you."

"…I know." Kori managed a real smile this time, albeit a rather small one. "Thanks."

"So…are you going to go?"

"Go where?" Donna shifted uncomfortably.

"To the wedding." The Tamaranian thought for a moment, and then nodded with at least a bit more confidence than she'd had before Donna had come.

"Yes…yes I'll go."

And she would, too. She'd go and she'd smile. She'd congratulate the newly wed couple and force herself to share their happiness. She'd greet Dick and Babs, not Nightwing and Oracle, with pleasant words wishing them a lasting future.

She'd go, and she'd like it…

Yet would all be a lie.

_But_, she reminded herself as Donna beckoned for her to leave the confinements of her room and join the other Titans, _at least I'll be letting go.

* * *

_

Woo-hoo…woo-hoo  
Woo-hoo…woo-hoo

Well my heart knows me better than I know myself  
So I'm gonna let it do all the talking.  
Woo-hoo…woo-hoo  
I came across a place in the middle of nowhere  
with a big black horse and a cherry tree.  
Woo-hoo…woo-hoo

I fell in fear, upon my back  
I said don't look back, just keep on walking.  
Woo-hoo…woo-hoo  
When the big black horse that looked this way,  
Said hey lady, will you marry me?  
Woo-hoo…woo-hoo

But I said no, no,  
No, no-no-no  
I said no, no,  
You're not the one for me  
No, no,  
No, no-no-no  
I said no, no, you're not the one for me

Ooooo…woo-hoo

And my heart had a problem, in the early hours  
So it stopped it dead for a beat or two  
Woo-hoo…woo-hoo  
But I cut some cord, and I shouldn't have done that,  
And it won't forgive me after all these years  
Woo-hoo…woo-hoo

So I sent her to a place in the middle of nowhere  
With a big black horse and a cherry tree.  
Woo-hoo…woo-hoo  
Now it won't come back , cause it's oh so happy  
And now I've got a hole for the world to see  
Woo-hoo…woo-hoo

But I said no, no,  
No, no-no-no  
I said no, no,  
You're not the one for me  
No, no,  
No, no-no-no  
I said no, no, you're not the one for me

But I said no, no,  
No, no-no-no  
I said no, no,  
You're not the one for me  
No, no,  
No, no-no-no  
I said no, no, you're not the one for me

Big black horse and a cherry tree  
I can't quite get there cause they've all forsaken me  
Big black horse and a cherry tree  
I can't quite get there cause they've all forsaken me

--**Black Horse and the Cherry Tree by KT Tunst**

Love,  
SushiChica


End file.
